Interphasma monticola, Liu & Yang & Gu & Wang, 2024

Liu, Yi-Fan, Yang, Sheng-Chuan, Gu, Jun-Jie & Wang, Hai-Jian, 2024, Two new species of Interphasma Chen & He, 2008 (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae: Clitumninae) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 5446 (4), pp. 531-541 : 532-536

Interphasma monticola sp. nov.

Types. Holotype: 1♀, Daweishan National Forest Park , Pingbian County, Yunnan Province, China, 2020-VII-19, Zheng Zhou ( SICAU) ; Paratypes: 1♀ & 1♂, Daweishan National Forest Park , Pingbian County, Yunnan Province, China, 2020-VII-19, Zheng Zhou ( SICAU) .

Diagnosis. Female of this new species is similar to Interphasma lushanense Chen & He, 2008 , I. lizipingense Ho & Shi, 2013 , I. huayingshanense Li, Shi & Wang, 2021 and I. indistinctum Ho, 2022 with distinct praeopercular organ on the posteromedian area of seventh abdominal sternum. I. monticola sp. nov. can be distinguished I. lushanense by anal segment shorter than ninth tergum and equal in width to ninth tergum. I. monticola sp. nov. can be separated I. lizipingense and I. huayingshanense by praeopercular organ ridge-shaped, tapering apically, with distinct median carina, and anal segment shorter than ninth tergum. I. monticola sp. nov. can be distinguished I. indistinctum by eighth tergum to anal segment with distinct longitudinal carinae, and ninth tergum with a finger-like appendix posteromedially, surpassing anterior margin of anal segment. I. nigrolineatum Chen & He, 2008 and I. fanjingense Chen & He, 2008 from southwestern China but lacking descriptions of female. Male of I. monticola sp. nov. can be characterized I. nigrolineatum by upper margin of anal semi-tergites gently down-curving, and lower margin nearly flat truncate in lateral view. Male of I. monticola sp. nov. can be distinguished I. fanjingense by eighth tergum longer than ninth tergum, and slightly shorter than anal semi-tergites.

The new species is similar to the collection locality of I. elongatum elongatum Ho, 2017 which is characterized by elongate anal semi-tergites in male, but differs in lacking elongate anal semi-tergites, inner margins of semi-tergites slightly curved inwards, and eighth tergum longer than ninth tergum in male. The female can be separated by having distinct praeopercular organ on the posteromedian area of the seventh abdominal sternum. The egg also can be easily separated by capsule oval and posterior pole rounded in dorsal view.

Description. Female ( Fig. 1 ): Medium-sized. Apterous. Body cylindrical, generally green or brown or yellowish-brown, covered with granules of irregular sizes.

Head ( Fig. 1 : C). Rectangular in shape, longer than pronotum, and covered with granules. Vertex with a large elevation between compound eyes. Occiput slightly convex, with slightly dense irregular granules and indistinct longitudinal furrows. Compound eyes small and projecting hemispherically, with an indistinct blackish postocular stripe.Ocelli absent.Covered with small granules on hind genae.Antennae filiform,distinctly segmented, and reaching anterior half of profemora, with 14 segments. Scapus compressed dorsoventrally, with carinate mediolongitudinally, longer than third segment; pedicellus flattened, shorter than third segment; third segment cylindrical.

Thorax. Rough. Sparely covered with granules. Pronotum trapezoidal, anterior and posterior margin truncate, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing distinctly on the middle area, transverse sulci lightly curved inward and not reaching lateral margins of segment, lateral longitudinal sulci indistinct. Mesonotum elongate and slender, the length approximately 2.5 times as long as width, much longer than pronotum and median segment combined. Metanotum rectangular, 2.2 times as long as median segment in length. Prosternum and mesosternum barely covered granules.

Abdomen ( Fig. 1 : D–F). Cylindrical, tapering toward the apex. Median segment wider than long, shorter than second tergum. Second to seventh tergites with indistinct longitudinal carinae. Fourth tergum longest. Fifth to seventh tergites gradually decreased in length. Seventh sternum with a ridge-like praeopercular organ on posteromedian area, with median longitudinal carina distinctly elongated posteriorly, basally flattened, tapering apically, apex pointed. Ninth tergum with a finger-like appendix posteromedially, surpassing anterior margin of anal segment. Anal segment shortest among three terminal tergites, with small emargination and posterolateral angles blunt on posterior margin. Operculum boat-shaped with median longitudinal carina, apex pointed and reaching posterior area of anal segment. Cercus short and flattened, reaching posterior margin of anal segment, apices rounded.

Legs. Slender and long. Unarmed, generally brown with black irregular patches, covered with bristles. Profemora curved basally, shorter than corresponding tibiae, roughly as long as pronotum and mesonotum combined. Mesofemora equal in length to corresponding tibiae, obviously longer than metanotum, including the median segment. Metafemora shorter than corresponding tibiae, reaching anterior margin of sixth abdominal tergum.

Male ( Fig. 2 ). Medium-sized. Body slender and slimmer than female. Body and legs generally brown.

Head ( Fig. 2 : C). Oval, sparsely covered with small granules. Vertex with a large elevation between compound eyes. Genae with a blackish postocular band. Occiput flat, with small irregular tubercles, longitudinal furrow indistinct. Antennae distinctly segmented, with 17 segments, which reaching posterior half of profemora; scapus dilated, median longitudinal carina indistinct; pedicellus shorter than third segment.

Thorax. Armed with few granules and elevations. Pronotum rectangular in outline, slightly widened in the middle, the length 1.5 times as long as width. Anterior margin incurved and posterior margin nearly truncate, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing on the middle area, transverse sulci lightly curved inward and not reaching lateral margins of segment, lateral longitudinal sulci indistinct. Mesonotum elongate and slender, approximately 6 times as long as pronotum in length, with brown stripes on posterior area. Metanotum longer than median segment, posterior margin with blackish stripes. Meso- and metasternum smooth and lacking granulations.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2 : D–F). Median segment wider than long, anterior margin wavy in shape and gently expanded in the middle, shorter than second tergum. Third to sixth tergites about the same length. Seventh to ninth tergites slightly increasing in width. Three terminal tergites short, eighth slightly longer than ninth tergum and shorter than anal segment. Anal segment split into two semi-tergites, equal in width to ninth tergum. Anal semi-tergites tapering posteriorly and apices blunt rounded; inner margins of semi-tergites weakly curved inwards, and interior surface with few teeth in dorsal view; upper margin gently down-curving, and lower margin nearly flat truncate in lateral view. Poculum cup-shaped, posterior margin rounded and reaching anterior area of anal segment. Cercus short, cylindrical, weakly curved inwards, not reaching posterior margin of anal segment.

Legs. Similar to female.

Egg ( Fig. 3 : A–C). Capsule yellowish brown and oval, surface with numerous blackish brown depressions of irregular sizes. Micropylar plate oval, positioned more or less centrally on capsule. Micropylar cup U-shaped and expended anteriorly, placed at posterior margin of micropylar plate, with a distinct tubercle above micropylar cup. Median line short, placed behind micropylar cup. Operculum oval, with a central capitulum. The base of capitulum invaginated, gradually elevated from the base to the apex. Capitulum with a small central brownish yellow rounded depression.

Measurements. See Table 1 .

Distribution: Pingbian County, Yunnan Province, China.

Etymology: The name refers to the praeopercular organ with distinct median carina of the new species that resembles a mountain ridge in female.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Female of Interphasma monticola sp. nov. A. Dorsal view of habitus; B. Lateral view of habitus; C. Dorsal view of head and prontum; D. Dorsal view of terminalia; E. Lateral view of terminalia; F. ventral view of terminalia. Scale bars:10mm (A, B), 1mm (C‐F)

FIGURE 2. Male of Interphasma monticola sp. nov. A. Dorsal view of habitus; B. Lateral view of habitus; C. Dorsal view of head and prontum; D. Dorsal view of terminalia; E. Lateral view of terminalia; F. Ventral view of terminalia.Scale bars:10mm (A, B), 1mm (C‐F)

FIGURE 3. Egg of Interphasma monticola sp. nov. A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, anterior view. Scale bar: 1 mm.